Surge protection circuits are known in the art to protect electronic equipment from voltage surges that impinge on wires transmitting power to the equipment. Devices known in the art such as televisions, computers, monitors and satellite-based receivers for satellite and cable television, however, receive information signals, such as audio signals, video signals, and other types of signals, that convey information, rather than power. Such information signals are typically conveyed using voltage, current or frequency modulation and, similar to wires transmitting power, are susceptible to voltage transient fluctuations, spikes, and/or surges that could damage sensitive electronic devices that receive the information signals.
Some devices receive information-based signals over dedicated information lines that do not transmit power. Such devices typically utilize standard construction coaxial cables for information-based signal transmission. Standard coaxial cables, designated RG6 or RG59, are constructed with a central conductor, an insulator that surrounds the central conductor, an outer conductor and an insulating outer sheath. For example, satellite television (Satellite TV) and cable television/community access television (CATV) systems typically use video signal processing devices, such as computers, set-top boxes, and video cassette recorders (VCRs), that use standard coaxial cables, coaxial cable connections, and coaxial cable jacks to connect to the Satellite TV or CATV system to receive information signals transmitted through the coaxial cables.
A need exists in the surge protection device art for a surge protection circuit to protect information signal line transmission, such as through coaxial cables, to provide surge protection for devices that receive the type of information signals transmitted in Satellite TV and CATV systems.